Natural Pod: Don’t just stand there…play!

If I tell you that I have a 3 ½-year-old and a 5-month-old and I just got rid of my television you will probably think I’m crazy, wouldn’t you? And there are certainly times that you would be right. But there are other times — like when my son is happily making ‘soup’ with little felted wool vegetables and taking my order at his wooden ‘restaurant’ — that I know it was the best decision I ever could have made. Truly, I have Natural Pod to thank for our TV-free success — were it not for their inspiring playstand and creative-play toys we might be sitting around twiddling our thumbs. And somehow I can’t see that going over very well with my son.

Several weeks ago, we were lucky enough to receive a jaw-droppingly gorgeous wooden playstand from Natural Pod. Handmade on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, this playstand was designed and manufactured exclusively for Natural Pod. And to say that it’s stunning would be an understatement.

Along with the playstand ($250 to $275, depending on wood choice), Natural Pod sent us a wooden stovetop ($60), a wood and metal sink ($60), felted wool fruit ($27) and veggies ($27), and a kid-sized metal strainer ($6) (all sold separately). Also included: hours upon hours of family entertainment.

A Waldorf-inspired concept, a playstand looks a lot like a bookshelf to the uninitiated.  With a gracefully arching canopy and unique, beautiful detailing — hinting at the architect who designed it — the playstand from Natural Pod is decidedly NOT a bookshelf. In fact, it’s the most engaging, inspiring, versatile toy we’ve ever had.

Playstands are the cornerstone of creative, imaginative play. One second they can be a theater, the next they transform into a store or a restaurant. The possibilities really are endless. The addition of the sink and stovetop means my son has spent countless hours ‘washing’ vegetables and ‘cooking’ food. I can’t even begin to count the number of bowls of ‘soup’ I’ve been served since our playstand arrived!

Putting the playstand together is definitely a two-adult job. My son was also on hand for the assembly, but it would have been much quicker and easier without the extra set of tiny hands.  Natural Pod includes a screwdriver with every playstand, making it so simple to open the box and put it together. And the instructions are like a work of art. Not only are they simple and easy to follow, they’re almost as beautiful as the playstand itself.

Natural Pod also sells lovely, plant-dyed playsilks — they sent us a rainbow one ($20) to use with our playstand. And we added more of our own playsilks plus our own set of playclips (Natural Pod sells these, too) for extra fun. Further examples of the open-ended play experience that Natural Pod encourages, playsilks are perfect for hanging from the arch, draping over the shelves, and they even convert into handy grocery bags for the fruits and veggies.

To tell you that the playstand is a success in our home would be an understatement. My son has played with it every day since it arrived. He talks about it in his sleep (I’m not kidding). He even wakes up in the morning and runs out to play with it. And this is the kid who NEVER leaves his parents alone in the morning so, needless to say, we’re big fans of the playstand!

It takes up a fair bit of space — assembled, the measurements are 15.5" deep x 36" wide x 56" high at the highest point of the arch — but the arch is removable and the entire structure can be moved around easily, too.

As for the television…it will come back eventually, I’m sure. But we’re trying to simplify things around our home for a little while. And the fact that our son hasn’t said a word about it since the arrival of our Natural Pod playstand and toys…well, that speaks volumes.

Playstands — made from Pine or Baltic Birch Plywood — are available at Natural Pod along with a huge selection of natural toys. Orders can be shipped worldwide.

Exclusive for CBB Readers: Save 15% on your first order when you use coupon code ‘CBB15OFF’ at www.naturalpod.com now through July 15.